With a rich chocolatey fudge brownie base and a layer of pumpkin on top, these pumpkin brownies are the ultimate fall dessert. They’re easy to make and so delicious. 

Pumpkin Pie Brownies on a tray

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Why We Love This Recipe For Pumpkin Brownies

One look at these sweet treats and you know they’re not any regular brownie. They are PUMPKIN BROWNIES. They’re made with brownie batter on the bottom and pumpkin pie filling on the top, which then gets swirled together. Magic!

Recipe Highlights

  • A great alternative to your usual brownie recipe
  • Super easy fall dessert recipe
  • You can get the kids involved with the baking and swirling process
  • Perfect dessert to bring to a potluck
  • Can be made ahead

Key Ingredients For These Pumpkin Pie Brownies

  • Neufchatel Cheese: This is pretty much reduced-fat cream cheese. You can use regular cream cheese if preferred but note that it will change the nutritional analysis.
  • Eggs
  • Canned Pumpkin Puree: If you want to make your own pumpkin puree that will also work here.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, make your own using a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
  • Baking Staples: Sugar, whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt.
  • Cocoa Powder: Regular or Dutch process cocoa will work here.
  • Canola Oil: This is in place of butter and will help make nice fudgy brownies.
  • Bittersweet Chocolate Chips: You can also use chopped bittersweet chocolate instead.
  • Non-Fat Buttermilk: You could also make your own buttermilk by combining milk with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make These Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies

Step 1: Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2: Make pumpkin cream cheese mixture

Beat Neufchatel and ¼ cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth. Add 1 egg and beat until smooth. Add ¾ cup pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until smooth. Set aside.

Step 3: Make brownie batter

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the remaining ½ cup sugar, 2 eggs, the remaining pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla, oil and chocolate in a large bowl until completely smooth. Add flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Add buttermilk and beat until completely combined.

Step 4: Swirl in pumpkin cream cheese mixture

Spread the chocolate brownie mixture out in the pan. Top with the pumpkin cream cheese layer. Drag a clean knife through the layers to swirl.

Step 5: Bake pumpkin pie brownies

Bake the pumpkin chocolate brownies until the brownie is set and the edges are lightly puffed, 30-32 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

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FAQs and Expert Tips

Storage Instructions:

Store pumpkin pie brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Make Ahead Instructions:

Yes, you can make brownies in advance. Although they are the best eaten fresh, they’re almost equally good once they’ve chilled. Make them up to 2 days before you plan to serve.

Can I freeze brownies?

Yes. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to 2 months. Defrost frozen brownies at room temperature for about an hour.

Do I have to grease the pan?

Yes. Make sure to spray the bottom with cooking spray or at least grease it with butter or canola oil. You could also line it with parchment paper if you’d prefer, but if you don’t use anything, you won’t be able to get the brownies out of the pan.

How do I melt the chocolate?

Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe container. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each round, until mostly melted. Let sit, stirring often until completely melted. To melt without a microwave see here.

More Brownies and Blondies to Try

These brownies by Healthy Seasonal Recipes are super chocolatey and dense. And you only need one bowl to make them!

One Bowl Brownies
These Fudgy Greek Yogurt Trail Mix Brownies are the perfect treat to take to your next Spring event! Healthy Seasonal Recipes #brownie #vegetarian #dessert #chocolate #kidfriendly

Fudgy Greek Yogurt Trail Mix Brownies
These Sweet Potato Blondies are chocked full of chocolate, toasted walnuts and are veggie packed, whole wheat and 100 calories less than the traditional version.Perfect for all of your Fall activities! | Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Sweet Potato Blondies
gluten-free maple white chocolate blondies

Gluten-free Maple Healthy Blondies

And because I love pumpkin sweet treats so much, make sure you check out these amazing One Bowl Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins by Beaming Baker.

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Pumpkin Pie Brownies | Healthy Seasonal Recipes @helthyseasonal

Pumpkin Brownies

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  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 24 brownies 1x
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Description

With a rich chocolatey fudge brownie base and a layer of pumpkin on top, these pumpkin brownies are the ultimate fall dessert. They’re easy to make and so delicious. 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 ounces Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese)
  • 3/4 cup sugar, divider
  • 3 eggs, divided
  • 1 can pure pumpkin puree, divided
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour or white whole-wheat
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly (see tip)
  • 1/2 cup non-fat buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Beat Neufchatel and ¼ cup sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth. Add 1 egg and beat until smooth. Add ¾ cup pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the remaining ½ cup sugar, 2 eggs, the remaining pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla, oil and chocolate in a large bowl until completely smooth. Add flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Add buttermilk and beat until completely combined.
  4. Spread chocolate brownie mixture out in the pan. Top with the pumpkin cream cheese layer. Drag a clean knife through the layers to swirl.
  5. Bake until the brownie is set and the edges are lightly puffed, 30-32 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Notes

48 mg Cholesterol, 13 g Added Sugar

Chocolate Melting Tip: place chocolate in a small microwave-safe container. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each round, until mostly melted. Let sit, stirring often until completely melted. To melt without a microwave see here.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 bars
  • Calories: 240
  • Sugar: 16 g
  • Sodium: 290 mg
  • Fat: 13 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g
  • Fiber: 6 g
  • Protein: 6 g

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